Boat boarding aid

Abstract

This invention provides a boarding aid [ 40 ] for small boats such as a trailer boats [ 57 ] which has a rigid stirrup assembly [ 59 ] incorporating a foot support [ 46 ] which pivots about a transverse axle [ 44 ] for the bow roller [ 56 ] between an on-deck stowed position to a deployed position at which it is stably supported by abutment against a stop [ 47 ] associated with and spaced from the axle [ 44 ]. The axle [ 44 ] and the stop [ 47 ] are part of a support frame assembly [ 58 ] which mounts to the boat's foredeck [ 48 ]. When the rigid stirrup assembly [ 59 ] pivots to its deployed position it is held stably by the abutment [ 47 ] in a position at which the foot support [ 46 ] is below and forwardly of the bow roller [ 56 ]. The boat is also provided with opposed bow rails [ 50, 51 ] which may be gripped to enable a user to elevate themselves from the foot support, onto the foredeck [ 48].

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of providing a trailer boat having a bow with a boarding aid, the bow including a stern at a forwardmost position of the boat, the method including:
 providing a rigid stirrup assembly pivotally connected to the boat's bow whereby the rigid stirrup assembly may be pivoted from a stowed position behind the bow to a fixed deployed position in front of the boat's stern at which the rigid stirrup assembly provides a foot support below and forwardly of its pivotal connection to the boat; 
 providing an anchor line guide from which an anchor line may pass from line securing means across a foredeck and over the anchor line guide into the water, and 
 forming the foredeck and/or line securing means such that the rigid stirrup assembly is supported beneath a deployed anchor line portion which extends across the foredeck. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the anchor line guide is a bow roller supported for rotation about a bow roller axle and wherein the pivot connection of the rigid stirrup assembly to the boat's bow is co-axial with the bow roller axle. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bow roller axle support is provided with abutment means which prevents forward rotation of the rigid stirrup assembly beyond said deployed position. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1  and further including providing spaced apart bow rails between which a user may pass from the deployed rigid stirrup assembly into the boat. 
     
     
       5. A trailer boat provided with a boarding aid in accordance with the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       6. A boarding aid for a boat having a bow, and wherein the bow includes a stern at a forwardmost position of the boat, the boarding aid including:
 a rigid stirrup assembly providing a foot support; 
 a support frame assembly pivotally connected to the rigid stirrup assembly and adapted for incorporation at the bow of the boat whereby the rigid stirrup assembly may be pivoted from a stowed position behind the boat's bow to a deployed position in front of the boat's stern at which the foot support is below and forwardly of its pivotal connection to the support frame assembly; and 
 stop means for holding the rigid stirrup assembly in its deployed position; 
 wherein the support frame assembly is formed as a bow roller assembly having a bow roller supported for rotation about a bow roller axle and wherein the pivot connection of the rigid stirrup assembly to the boat's bow is a pivot connection about the bow roller axle. 
 
     
     
       7. A boarding aid as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the stop means is on the support frame assembly. 
     
     
       8. The boarding aid as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the stop means is an abutment on the bow roller assembly radially spaced from the roller axle and engaged by the rigid stirrup assembly when pivoted to its deployed position. 
     
     
       9. The boarding aid as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the angle between a vertical plane passing through the pivotal connection between the support frame assembly and the rigid stirrup assembly and a plane passing through said pivotal connection and the foot support when in its deployed position is in the range 20° to 50°.